Lip protector



Oct. 16, 1956 c. .3. REY

LIP PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 5, 1955 Q6 @g l /9 a INVENTOR. Charie Re? United States Patent O i LIP PROTECTGR Charles J. Rey, St. Louis, 'Mo.

Application January 5, 1955, Serial No. 479,975

3 Claims. (Cl. ZIO-163.5)

This invention relates to household devices of the type used in combination with drinking receptacles, and in particular, a grid having a spring clip at one side adapted to be positioned in the upper part of a drinking glass with the clip extended over an edge of the glass for retaining the grid in a horizontally disposed position whereby in drinking from the glass, ice cubes, or other objects such as part of a slice of orange or lemon or a cherry floating in liquid in the glass will be retained in the lower part of the glass and will be prevented from contacting the lips of a person drinking from the glass.

The purpose of this invention is, primarily, to prevent ice cubes contacting the upper lip of a person drinking from a glass particularly in drinking a cocktail, soft drink or the like.

It is diicult in drinking from a glass with ice cubes and particularly crushed ice oating in -a liquid in the glass without drawing the ice into the mouth and in numerous instances it is diicult to replace the ice. With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates a grid adapted to be suspended with a spring clip on the upper edge of a drinking glass or the like with the grid spaced from the upper edge of the glass whereby ice cubes and the like are retained in spaced relation to the lips of a person drinking from the glass.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for supporting a grid in the upper part of a drinking glass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for preventing ice cubes and the like coming in contact with lips of a person drinking from a glass in which the device is adapted to be installed in glasses now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a grid for retaining ice cubes and the like in spaced relation to the upper edge of a drinking glass in which the grid is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention embodies a grid formed from a strand of wire or the like with the wire bent midway of its length to form a spring clip and with the ends folded t form substantially semi-circular coils whereby with the grid positioned in the upper part of a drinking glass ice cubes and the like are retained in spaced relation to the upper edge of the glass by the said coils.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the improved ice cube retaining grid showing the grid positioned on the upper edge of a glass, the glass being shown in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the grid taken on line 2-2 of Figure l showing the device on the upper edge or" a glass and in which the glass is shown in broken lines.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the improved grid with the grid shown on the upper edge of a glass and the glass being shown in broken lines.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view with the parts as 2,766,889 Patented Oct. .16, V1956 ICC shown in Figure 2 showing the glass tilted to a drinking position, the glass and ice cubes therein being shown in broken lines.

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 Yof Figure l showing a clip vfor retaining sections of the grid in position, the parts being shown on an enlarged scale and.

the side portions of the grid being broken away.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved ice cube retaining grid of this invention includes an elongated strand of material such as a wire formed of stainless steel or the like, the wire being bent at a point midway of the length thereof to form a U-shaped loop 1@ having upwardly extended arms 11 and 12 with the upper ends folded at points 13 and 14 to form sections 15 and 16 which are spaced from and parallel to the arms 11 and 12, respectively, and from the lower ends of the sections 15 and 16 the wire is bent inwardly with oiset portions 17 and 18. The portions 17 and 18 connect the sections 15 and 16 to parallel bars 19 and 20 and from the extended ends of the bars arcuate sections 21 and 22 extend and the ends of the sections 21 and 22 are connected to intermediate bars 23 and 24. Arcuate sections 25 and 26 connect the ends of the bars 23 and 24 to outer bars 27 and 28 which are spaced from and parallel to the intermediate bars 23 and 24.

The two sections of the grid are retained in spaced relation by a clip 29, one end 36 of which is crimped over the bar 20 and the opposite end 31 of which is crimped over the bar 19. The clip retains the two sections of the grid in spaced relation to prevent the sections being separated in washing and cleaning.

The lower end of the loop 10 is flared outwardly as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 to facilitate positioning the grid on the upper edge of a glass or the like as indicated by the numeral 32.

With the parts formed as illustrated and described, the spring clip is adapted to be snapped over the upper edge of a glass or other receptacle and with the glass extended upwardly between the arms 11 and 12 and the portions 15 and 16, the grid will be extended outwardly whereby ice cubes, crushed ice, sections of oranges or lemons, or cherries and the like will be stopped by the grid so that they will not come in contact with the lips of a person drinking from the glass.

The grid is adapted to be removed for cleaning and may only be used as desired.

It will be understood that modiiications, Within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. ln a retaining grid for a receptacle, the combination which comprises a wire formed to provide spaced parallel and arcuate bars, and a U-shaped spring clip having a pair of parallel arms extending at right angles to said bars and formed with an arcuate connecting section for the wire and a pair of sections integral with the upper ends of said arms and parallel to said arms adapted to suspend the bars inside of a receptacle with the bars spaced from the upper end thereof.

2. In a retaining grid for a receptacle, the combination which comprises a wire formed to provide spaced parallel and arcuate bars, a U-shaped spring clip having a pair of parallel arms extending at right angles to said bars and formed with an arcuate connecting section for the arms and a pair of sections integral with the upper ends of said arms and parallel to said arms adapted to suspend the bars inside of a receptacle with the bars spaced from the upper end thereof, and a clip connecting parallel and arcuate bars connected to the sections at the upper ends of said arms.

A3. In a retainngfgrid for a receptacle, the combination whichV comprises a Wire formed to provide spaced f parallel and arcuate bars, a V.U-shaped spring clip having a pair of parallel arms extending at right angles to said bars and formed with an arcuate connecting section vfor V5 References Cited in the file of this patenty v vUNITED STATES PATENTS Messer May 27, 1884 Whinery Sept. 6, 1887 Harding Dec. 3, 1901 Ekdahl Ian. 25, 1938 Swing Aug. 29, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS VFrance Aug. 3, 1936 

